F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, Actions Needed to Address Manufacturing and Modernization Risk

Abstract

Why GAO Did This Study. The acquisition cost for the F-35 program increased substantially in 2019, partially due to the program's addition of estimated costs for modernization of hardware and software systems, referred to as its Block 4 efforts. This is the fifth report under the provision that Congress included in statute for GAO to review the F-35 program annually until the program reaches full-rate production. This is also the first report under another provision in statute to review the program's production and Block 4 progress annually through 2024. Among other objectives, this report assesses (1) the program's production performance and (2) the program's modernization cost estimate and development progress. GAO reviewed Department of Defense (DOD) and contractor documentation and interviewed DOD officials and contractor representatives.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
May 01, 2020
Accession Number
AD1148422

Entities

Organizations

  • United States Government Accountability Office

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Air Platforms
  • Cyber
  • Ground and Sea Platforms

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force
  • Aircrafts
  • Airframes
  • Assembly Lines
  • Congress
  • Contracts
  • Department Of Defense
  • Fighter Aircraft
  • Governments
  • Logistics
  • Manufacturing
  • Military Acquisition
  • National Security
  • Risk Analysis
  • Short Takeoff Aircraft
  • Supply Chain
  • Supply Chain Management
  • Test And Evaluation
  • Test Facilities
  • United States Government

Readers

  • Government Contracting/Procurement.
  • Life Cycle Cost Analysis